44.104:  Hazardous Materials Management

A.  Hazardous Materials

Hazardous Materials are any chemical or material that poses a significant risk to the health and safety of people, the environment, or facilities. This includes licensed radioactive materials, biohazard agents, hazardous chemicals and any material regulated as hazardous under CERCLA 42 USC 9601 (14) or USDOT 49 CFR 172.101.

The hazard may arise from exposure by one or more routes, including skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion, or in the case of radioactive materials even by time spent in proximity, without direct physical contact. In addition to splashing and flowing, liquids may also disperse through the air as vapors or aerosols, and dusts or powders may disperse through the air as well.

B.  Hazardous Chemicals

Hazardous chemicals are chemicals for which there is statistically significant evidence based on at least one study conducted in accordance with established scientific principles that acute or chronic health effects may occur in exposed people.

C.  Hazardous Materials Waste

Hazardous materials waste meets any one or more of the following criteria:

1. A waste or combination of wastes as defined in 40 CFR 261.3;

2. Those substances defined as hazardous wastes in 49 CFR 171.8; or

3. Substances defined as hazardous waste in ORC 3734, ORC 3745, or OAC 3745.

D.  Radioactive Waste

Radioactive waste is any substance that is no longer wanted and is known to be radioactive (producing ionizing radiation) greater than background level.

E.  Biohazardous Waste

Biohazardous waste is any substance that is no longer wanted and contains or could potentially contain biohazards agents. For detailed regulatory definition, see the Biosafety Manual, and state regulations, or contact EHS.

F.  PCB Waste

PCB waste is any substance that is no longer wanted and includes biphenyl molecules that have been chlorinated to varying degrees. For a detailed regulatory definition, see the Hazardous Materials Management Manual.

G.  Asbestos Waste

Asbestos waste is asbestos material that has been removed or collected and labeled as a waste. For a detailed regulatory definition, see the Asbestos Management Program.

H.  Other Terminology

Multi-hazardous waste is waste that contains two or more of the following wastes: biological, radioactive, or hazardous waste.

Mixed waste is multi-hazardous waste that includes radioactive material.

Specially Regulated waste is any waste that becomes a public concern and is regulated specifically. The previous seven wastes are examples of such waste.

1. Specific written documentation, such as the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), the container label, or shipping papers. (A MSDS is a regulatory document that is required to be provided by the manufacturer to the user; the sheet contains pertinent safety information.)

2. The specific listings and definitions of materials included in various regulations. These lists and definitions are contained in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Ohio Revised Code, and the Ohio Administrative Code, all of which may be found at Alden Library and on the internet.

3. Personal knowledge (an individual may have created the material, or know very specific information about the material's properties).

If hazardous material status cannot be determined, call Environmental Health and Safety ("EHS") and request a review by the Hazardous Materials Manager. Unknown materials will be treated as Hazardous Materials until they are determined to be non-hazardous.

In addition to the Hazardous Materials Management Manual, material handling procedures can be found by:

1. referring to the Ohio University Biosafety Manual;

2. referring to the EHS Radiation Safety Handbook;

3. using the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Web site; or

4. by contacting the EHS office, at 740-593-1666.

A.   Hazardous Waste

Follow the Chemical Waste Procedures available at:

1. EHS Website for Chemical Waste

2. Hazardous Materials Management Manual

3. Chemical Waste Form

B.   Radioactive Waste

Follow the Radioactive Waste Procedures at:

1. EHS Website for Radioactive Waste

2. Radiation Safety Handbook

3. Hazardous Materials Management Manual

4. Radioactive Waste Form

C.   Multi-Hazardous Waste

Contact the EHS Hazardous Material Coordinator for specific instruction.

D.   Mixed Waste

Contact the EHS Hazardous Material Coordinator for specific instruction.

E.   Biohazardous Waste

Follow the Infectious Waste Procedures available at:

1. EHS Infectious Waste website

2. Biosafety Manual

F.   PCB Waste

Follow the procedures previously outlined for Chemical Waste. Contact the EHS Hazardous Materials Coordinator for more details.

G.   Asbestos Waste

Follow procedures available in the Asbestos Management Program Manual.

H.   Specially Regulated Waste

For disposal of specially regulated waste, generators shall consult with the EHS Hazardous Materials Coordinator.

All campus locations that handle, store, or use liquid hazardous materials shall have available enough absorbent to mitigate a spill equal to the largest size container of liquid at that location.

All campus locations that handle, store, or use liquid hazardous materials shall post the following emergency information in an area available to each person using the laboratory, printed in a font size large enough to be read by a person with normal vision from a distance of at least ten feet, and prepared so as to facilitate rapid updating whenever the facts change:

Building:
Room Number:
Ohio University Police:	593-1911
Environmental Health and Safety:	593-1666
Athens City Police:	911
Athens City Fire Department:	911
Fire Extinguisher Location:
Absorbent Materials and  Personnel Protective Equipment Location:
Fire Pull Station Location:
Name of Lab-Specific Responsible Person:
Phone Number of Lab-Specific Responsible Person:

For hazardous materials located on regional campuses, the local law enforcement and fire department should be identified and the appropriate phone numbers should be provided, rather than those for Athens City.

The person responsible for the location shall consult with EHS and with University Planning and Implementation when preparing the sign; see also Policy 42.100, "Campus Signs."

EHS shall be provided with a copy of the text of each such sign immediately after it is first posted and immediately after any change to any of the posted information. This will facilitate EHS' maintenance of a complete and accurate inventory of locations and hazards, both for its own use and to assist local first-responders.

For additional information and specific procedures, see the Hazardous Materials Management Manual, the Biosafety Manual, or the Radiation Safety Handbook.